Home Office Minister John Denham has ruled out a public inquiry into the police handling of the Wesley Neailey tragedy.

The murdered 11-year-old's granddad Harry Hammond had called for a probe into Northumbria Police's initial reaction to his grandson's disappearance.

But in a letter, Mr Denham has said that no inquiry will take place.

Mr Hammond said: "All I wanted was for someone to tell me why Wesley was being treated as a runaway and why it took 17 days for a senior investigating officer to make us feel the case was being treated as a crime.

"They launched a search for him but they didn't immediately set up an incident room.

"We told a uniform officer who came round that first night that Wesley was vulnerable boy and he wouldn't run away from home."

Newcastle West End schoolboy Wesley of Croydon Road, Arthur's Hill, had been lured into the clutches of evil paedophile Dominic McKilligan and killed on the same day he went missing while playing on his bike in June 1998.

His grandfather, 57, also of Arthur's Hill, and Wesley's mum, Liz Neailey, were devastated by his horrific death.

They called for an inquiry but Mr Denham has written to the family's solicitor, Peter Maughan, and said there was nothing in the investigation which indicated negligence.

In his letter, Mr Denham states: "I understand that since writing to the Home Secretary on September 18, 2001, you have been seeking an inquiry into Northumbria Police's handling of the investigation to find Wesley Neailey.

"The murder of Wesley was a tragic case and my sympathies are very much with his family for his untimely and tragic death.

"We have explained the circumstances under which the Home Secretary would instigate an inquiry into the conduct of a police force.

"Such inquiries are reserved for circumstances where the whole efficiency of a force is called into question, or where there has been serious public disorder, or similar circumstances where wide-ranging and serious disquiet is felt about a matter affecting a large proportion of the force."

Mr Denham adds: "We are satisfied that the manner in which Northumbria Police conducted their investigation into Wesley's disappearance was professional.

"There is nothing in the investigation that points to negligence or inappropriate conduct likely to cause grave public concern about the efficiency of Northumbria Police."

Mr Hammond said he was bitterly disappointed that no one would be made to give answers to his questions.

"We know Wesley was an innocent boy who was murdered by a sick monster, McKilligan," he added.

"But Liz and I were unable to grieve over his body by the time McKilligan told the police where he was buried. She buried to her what was a box, not her son.

"We hope lessons have been learned in Wesley's tragic case. We only wanted justice for him. I've not gone this far to get answers to give up now."

A social services inquiry was held which produced a damning report on the way other agencies handled McKilligan's release into the community.